410 CITRUS FRUITS AND THEIR CULTURE. 



Ladders. In picking citrus fruits a ladder of some 

 sort is generally a necessity. If the trees are low and com- 

 pactly headed, a ladder may not be in much demand, but 

 usually in removing fruit from trees of any consider- 

 able size something of the kind must be provided. 



For removing the fruit from the outside branches 

 a light, strong ladder, such as illustrated in the upper 

 right-hand corner of Fig. 87 is best. It should have suffi- 

 cient breadth at the' base to prevent its tipping when laid 

 flat against the branches of the tree. The length will, 

 of course, be governed by the height of the trees. 



It is a difficult matter to place an ordinary ladder 

 in the centre of a tree when removing the fruit from the 

 inside branches. For this part of the tree a ladder in 

 which the uprights are united at the top is not so likely 

 to catch in the branches and is, therefore, much more 

 easily handled. Such a ladder is illustrated in Fig. 87. 



Stepladders of the ordinary type are somewhat diffi- 

 cult to manage. The trouble with them is that they will 

 not stand securely unless the ground is perfectly level, 

 a condition not always secured, and the lower branches 

 of the tree frequently interfere with the double supports 

 in placing the ladder straight against the tree. A step- 

 ladder with a single support, such as is shown in Plate 

 XXVI is much preferable, much more easily placed in posi- 

 tion, and just as secure and substantial as though pro- 

 vided with two supports. 



Field Wagons. A low truck is best for hauling fruit 

 from the grove to the packing house. The height to which 

 the fruit has to be lifted in loading is much less and the 

 low wheels are not so likely to interfere with the branches 

 of the trees in passing through the grove. The wagons 



